A friend of mine directed me to a FaceBook Post by Sherlon Richardson affectionately known as “Lingey”. Sherlon wrote: “If you ain’t sign up to vote coming Anguilla Election 2015 go get it done now!!!!.” My friend Jason Brooks, affectionately known as “Doggie”, then wrote: “When we experience unfairness and feel hopeless in your own country it is a privilege and responsibility as followers of Christ to respond with honesty and integrity, doing what is right, just and fair. Sign up and Vote Right especially our young people it’s about time we have a say in our country. Vote Right it’s all about you Vote Auf Anguilla”.
I have no idea what in that posting hurt Haydn Hughes but as the “Big Bad Wolf” of FaceBook he decided that he would also respond. Haydn Hughes has been skillfully using FaceBook and the other social media for over six years as a tool of his propaganda campaign. A campaign based on lies, half-truths and misinformation. However, in recent times he has met resistance from other skillful and talented young people who have been exposing him for the fraud that he is. I could not help but capture this exchange between the “Big Bad Wolf” and my niece 25-year-old Tahirah Banks, a young entrepreneur and a graduate of the University of Houston, who I have dubbed “Little Red Riding Hood”. Someone commented that the “Big Bad Wolf” seems to have met his match. Here is the exchange in response to Jason’s comment:
Haydn Hughes wrote: (To Jason) “Unfairness? Unfairness is when you import 750 indians, some with TB to do the jobs that Anguillian contractors can do. Unfairness is when you import 400 chinese and countless Eastern Europeans to do the job Anguillians and our Caribbean brothers and sisters can do. Unfairness is when you give hundreds of thousands of dollars to a private school that charges heavy tuition while our public schools fall into disrepair. Unfairness is when you can outsource all the sound systems and security and other goods and services to overseas contractors while Gilbert Fleming and others plus our local security firms like Franklyn Rogers JTR etc looks on. Unfairness is when special assistants can get road side cleaning contracts valued at hundreds of thousands while the ordinary man cry out. Unfairness is when a Chief Minister double duties as the Chairman of the Board of a major local banking institution. Unfairness is when the AUF government encourages our people to go to the banks to borrow to build apartments while at the same time allowing the foreign developers to not only bring in hundreds and hundreds of workers on visa waivers and work permit waivers but also allowing them to be fed on property while also facilitating the importation of tens of container houses to house the workers on site. All the while paying those workers less than $280 A MONTH … All of the above was done and facilitated by your AUF but we shouldn’t be reminded.”
Tahirah Banks wrote:
Wow! (Haydn Hughes) You are really a disappointment, and that paragraph you first wrote is exactly why no one should vote for you as a leader in political office. You completely lack leadership skills, and your position in leadership should end with your 2010 appointment by your father. Leaders do not deflect blame. Leaders hold themselves accountable. Irregardless of what happened before. Mr. Hughes. Do you realize that you are a leader in Government right now? People have to be able to read through you by now man. Time and time again you behave like a true narcissist and you lack the intellectual courage to hold yourself accountable for anything that is going on in Anguilla today. It is no wonder, we have a fundamental problem in Anguilla with Accountability. The difference between yourself and the Anguilla United Front is that they can openly acknowledge the mistakes that they have made. And they Have made mistakes. I can acknowledge mistakes they have made. No one is saying that things were perfect. But you Mr. Hughes and your REGIME, have been in power since the year 2010. Do you realize that we are entering the year 2015? Do you realize that you are living in the past and blaming others for so many problems that if you even cared a LITTLE BIT ABOUT, you would’ve rectified. Today Gaff provides sound for Carnival as he should (and by the way, when I was in Anguilla back in the day, Gaff also provided sound. What’s your point?) JTR controls security as they should (back in the day they were growing and were not developed enough just yet to handle security. Today they are and they do a superb Job). What steps have you taken to rectify the disparities in the private and public school system? IN your government’s five years in office what steps have been taken to fix the schools … and I’m not talking about work you’re doing now that election is around the corner. Get real Mr. Hughes. The Anguilla United Front made mistakes, as every human being has made mistakes. But they also did great things for the people of Anguilla and they were the Government of Anguilla when Anguilla thrived, unlike today when we are marred in controversy and disorder. Complete disarray. You always want to blame somebody. In 2010 you wanted to blame Victor. Your government is leading the Country today. 5 years you are leading the country. And somehow you are always trying to bring up the AUF. You love the Front man. Come to light. I know the beacon is calling you. There is hope in the LIGHT. Cause You are living in the past. Stop living in the past. Tell the people what you have done over the last 5 years to improve their current state and how that equips you to do so into the future. Whats up with Jobs? Healthcare? Educational Opportunities?
SUSTAINABLE Renewable Energy? TOURISM? TOURISM! TOURISM! What have you and the AUM Government done over the past five years to address these issues? Other than give an unqualified foreigner Millions of our tax payer dollars to confuse our Tourism Product. Talk those STATS. Viceroy was built by Indians but today Viceroy employees a large number of Anguillians. What will come of the money you are spending with your Unqualified foreign Advisors? What Jobs? Your government doesn’t even have proper projects, large projects that you negotiated to create jobs to say they have to decide between bringing in indians or hiring a large number of Anguillians. THERE IS NO WORK. So Get real. 5 unproductive years. Stop running your campaign on propaganda. We want SUBSTANCE My Leader. This is sickening. 5 years. smh. Anyway, most people in Anguilla already know the way the AUM government operates. And most people can see through you by now. Everybody is afraid to speak out because of the Victimization. I’m never scared. Ras is never scared. I work hard for my money. No one appoined me to any position. And whichever government in — I will thrive and continue to work hard for my money. So don’t get it twisted. I’ve done YOUR WORK for my money…but that’s another story for another day. I will say this and only this, Gotta hit the road working, as i and other anguillians do not have the privilege that you have of collecting $19,000 Tax payer dollars a month whether I sit on Facebook liking up people pics or do work. You need to learn Accountability. Leaders are accountable. They don’t point fingers. They Lead. But you are not a leader so you don’t know that … I’m starting to think that you want to be a Candidate in the Anguilla United Front Party Mr. Hughes, if only for the use of our slogan. From what I’ve been seeing in your campaign rhetoric, and from what I personally know about your narcissistic leadership style. You like our slogan. Just tweak it a bit: “Anguilla has Hard Times and It Is ALL ABOUT HAYDN HUGHES” Pull up your socks. Anguillians aren’t dumb. This is To Be Continued… Have a blessed Day Folks.
Haydn Hughes wrote:
(Tahirah Kirstie-Ashley Banks) There is something called cause and effect. The actions of yesterday affect what happens today. I openly stated that we too have made mistakes. I do know Anguillians aren’t dumb neither are they blind. You would love for us to forget the reason why we got to where we did in 2009 but that will not happen. It seem as if you do not realize that Anguilla is a small open and vulnerable economy and if we do not manage our fiscal affairs prudently, we will suffer immensely. There is no doubt that we have been challenged financially and everything takes money. I can list the number of accomplishments including in the area of education that occurred under this administration even with tight financial controls and much less revenues. I am prepared to have that debate with you.
This is political season and all these things will be fully articulated and I do not expect you to support me even if Anguilla was as robust as it was in 2007. It’s a given. We come from 2 political factions and it was and still not about me contrary to what you believe. Never was, never will be. There is absolutely no reason to victimize you or any person who opposes any government. People should be able to speak freely without fear of victimization or malice.
We will continue
Haydn Hughes wrote:
No projects? No jobs? The FLAG project collapsed in early 2008. Today it is again providing jobs. Solaire in Lockrum, manoah and Zemi in Shoal Bay. 2 projects simultaneously. Malliouhana poised for a new day, expansion of Shoal Bay Villas, La vue and Frangipani New development on the horizon for Altamer that was recently sold. The mobilization of the Marina development there. The mobilization for the construction of a new Anguilla Community College complex. Tourism numbers? Take a look at the numbers in 2008/09 and take a look at them now. Look at what we are spending to get those numbers. Tight times you have to be creative. The youth? Your team sat on the Warren foundation funds for 10 years and did nothing. We have put those funds to their intended use. More work to do? Of course there is.
We have done more for the youth including the development of arts and entertainment than any othet government in the history of Anguilla. Not just talk. Real action and funding to the extent to which we could afford.
We will continue
Tahirah Banks wrote:
You are correct! (Haydn). There is cause and effect. Which is why I am so fearful of whats to come in the next 5 years if The Anguillian People don’t get rid of your visionless administration. Especially from a tourism stand point. Differences of opinion aside, I think that deep down you truly believe you can and want to be the man to make the difference. Your problem is, as I have stated before, you are not a leader, you do not hold yourself accountable for your actions, You get others to do your dirty work while you sit on Facebook and try to fool off the unaware, pretending to be squeaky clean. Like I told you, I can’t stay here on Facebook debating back and forth with you. I have to work for my money. Im not privileged like you. 19,000 is a lot of money to chill on Facebook. But you are more than welcomed to stay here and entertain the SHEEP that blindly follow you to slaughter. Drinking up all of your rhetoric. The proof is in the pudding. Leave your circle and go around and ask Anguillians how they are getting by. Don’t debate with me on Facebook Mr. Hughes. I am merely a private citizen. You don’t have to answer to me. You have to answer to the taxpayers that pay you and who’s money you spend. The Blind will always follow people like you. Like they followed Jim Jones to Guyana without seeking the truth. Where there is no vision the people will always perish.
Haydn Hughes wrote: “Tahirah you are totally overstating my salary. Get your facts right. No need to make ish up “
Tahirah Banks Wrote:
(Haydn Hughes) “You still here on Facebook? LOLOL. Aya lawd. Lord man. You proving my point all now. But since you are here. Tell us. When you leave Government. How much Tax Payer Dollars will you have been paid over the years as our Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism? OR is it Minister of Tourism. Even me get confused sometimes. What would you have done in that time? And what evidence do you have to support your accomplishments and the results of the work YOU DID on your initiatives? Can you produce this report? Let’s call it a RESUME. Cause if you were to have to get a job in the private sector like regular people. You would need a resume. So. Give us your resume … with Supporting Documentation of course. In school we had a rule. You can’t just say things. Or write things. You have to have evidence to support your claims. Citation we call it. References.”
Coward that he is, the “Big Bad Wolf” removed “Little Red Riding Hood” from his facebook page. He also tried to remove his postings — but alas! It was too late! It is all here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
